Same, brother.
Mud
joined 2 weeks ago
Not sure if it's decent to reply on old threads here...
Anyways,
You're right. The "millions of empty houses'' argument is 100% misinformation. So many of those empty houses are either unlivable or in the middle if nowhere.
Oh The Urbanity! breaks it down well.
Whether intentional or not, this myth has pit progressives against policies they should champion and it's so damn frustrating.
These are great arguments for one not to cycle for routine trips of daily life.
Good cyclist advocates don't shame one for not cycling for everything. They know why people don't do it. It's because they feel like they're gonna die! And they're not totally wrong in feeling that way.
Good bike advocates lobby for better infrastructure to mitigate these concerns.
E.g. winter weather in particular is addressed just by keeping bike routes paved the same as car lanes. Places that do this see negligible drops in cycling rates even at below freezing temps.
GOOD bike infrastructure is always worth it. It always reduces car trips. Every mile one bikes or walks instead of drives is taxpayer money saved.
Car infrastructure is very limiting to people with disabilities, more so than cycling.